Stocking



R. K. LAROS Feb. 9, 1954 STOCKING Filed Nov. 3, 1951 FIG INVENTOR RUSSELL K. LAROS 8Y 45 ATTORNEYS Patented F eb. 9, 1954 STOCKING Russell K. Laros, Bethlehem, Pa., assignor to R. K. Laros Silk Company, Bethlehem, Pa., in

corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 3, 1951, Serial No. 254,780

11 Claims. (01. 66-178) This invention relates to yarn for use in the manufacture of dull, full fashioned hosiery.

It is an object of this invention to provide a yarn filament which, when knitted into a stocking or other textile item, will minimize the lightreflecting qualities of nylon or other yarn formed from similar synthetic fibers without depending upon the use of any chemical treatment and without necessitating any change in the textile machinery producing thetextile item.

It isthe object of this invention to provide nylon or other similar thermoplastic synthetic yarn in a permanent regularly formed sinuous body. In particular, it is desired to form a monofilament thermoplastic yarn with regular repetitive sinuous bends. This is particularly advantageous with nylonwhich is a monofilament thermoplastic yarn. Its smooth surface reflects light. I

It is also an object of this invention to so form regular sinuous bends that this monofilament instead of reflecting all of the light which strikes it will refract the light at the bends.

Particularly in the hosiery industry, it is important to reduce the gloss or sheen in hosiery. There has been no success attending the efforts to reduce light-reflecting qualities of yarn. Such efforts as twisting the monofilament did little or nothing to reduce the gloss.

The excessive gloss or sheen of nylon is objectionable in stockings because it gives'the appearance to a womans limb of greater size and also detracts from the general appearance of her garments. Likewise, such yarn of nylon when woven into garments of various types is objectionable for the same reason.

For'the purpose of description, and acting as my own lexicographenl name the subject of this invention, thatis yarn formed with regular sinuous bends, as Crinkle. I prefer with such yarn as many as 100 Crinkles to the inch. The finished result shows an almost total absence of the customary gloss associated with nylon yarn. "It is a further object of the invention to provide a. markedly increased resistance in the stocking to snagging, that is, it makes it much more snag-resistant. This increased strength is also an advantage in other garments made of nylon yarn. v

A further object of this invention is to provide this yarn for use in seamless as well as in fullfashioned hosiery and in all knitted and woven fabrics.

As nylon is a thermoplastic yarn, it is capable ofbeing deformed within thislsinuousbody as hereinafter described and of retaining that body or shape permanently. It is necessary to deform it at a temperature within the capabilities of nylon at less than the so-called boarding temperature necessarily used in the manufacture of stockings and the like.

It is particularly the object of this invention to provide a light-refracting stocking manufactured from thermoplastic monofilament yarn such as nylon, which will completely eliminate the undesirable light-reflecting characteristics of such material and similar materials.

' Drawings of Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 refer to this phenomenon in conventional woven goods.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 shows in section a conventional warp of nylon filament yarn.

Figure 2 shows a conventional warp during the weaving operation as the filling yarn is inserted.

Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2, showing the formation that the filling yarn takes immediately after the weaving operation and after the sheds change.

Figure 4 shows the same section after the filling yarn has been preset and permanently formed by a heat setting operation.

Figure 5 shows the appearance of the same yarn after it'has been removed from the cloth. You Will note that it has permanent crinkles in the yarn;

Figure 6 shows one method of producing this crinkly yarn by the use of gear type rollers;

Figure 7 is an alternative method of imparting this deformation to the yarn by use of a heated roll;

Figure 8 shows an alternative method of using a heated corrugated roll for deforming the monofilament. A heated fluid is introduced to the interior of the roll 5 through pipe 5a and escapes through pipe 5b;

Figure 9 is a perspective of a typical mechanism for heating, deforming and cooling the the stocking looking in the direction of the arrows; 7

Figure 12 illustrates a modified form of deformation of the yarn.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 which show the conventional straight nylon yarn as woven into fabric, numeral I indicates the warp and 2 indicates the woof.

Figures 3 and 4 show how the crinkles are put in the yarn in one method of manufacture, as

between male and female rolls having transverseridges and depressions and configurations of sinuous curves to be imparted to th nylon yarn. This operation has been carried out at a temperature of approximately 300 F. The yarn can be heated sufhciently in'ad'vance of its deformation to make that step one that is easily and accurately performed. Alternatively; such deformation may take place between a steel or some other hard surfaced material and a similar roll made of a softer material such as rubber.

Referring to the drawings, the nylon filaments in their straight or crinkled condition are designated I or 3. They pass between rolls 5 and E which have matching ribs 1 and depressions 8. The rolls may be heated so that at the time of" formation the crinkles are deformed and permanently heat set. Immediately upon cooling, the yarn is ready for knitting or weaving.

If desired, in place of the heating chamber Ii, the roll 5 can be supplied with steam through pipes 50: and 5b to heat the roll and to deform the thermoplastic yarn by the applied heat.

Other methods may be used to heat the yarn as it approaches the rolls.

It will be observed that it is also possible, as

shown in Figure '1, to utilize a steel roll or onemade of bronze or some other similar suitable material and a yielding roll [0, preferably one made of rubber or some suitable substitute. It is to be understood that it is preferred that the yarn be formed into a series of sinuosities of equal spacing. equal depth and equal curvature,

but this is not absolutely essential. It is possible to-form these bends with a relatively sharp angle at the base of the bend or there may be other modifications that will be feasible.

It has been found that this mechanical distorting of the yarn with as many as 100 crinkles to the inch produces a stocking, for instance, that can-be produced in the conventional manner and which furnishes a completed article that retracts the light and does not reflect it. It has a beauttiful, soft appearance with the complete elimination of the shiny; artificial, metallic appearance of nylon yarn which is so highly light reflecting and so objectionable in stockings and other garments.

When the yarn has been knitted into a stocking in the conventional manner as illustrated by Figure 10, the deformed yarn. will appear enlarged as shown in Figure 1].. This crinkling yarn appearance will remain substantially in thesame form through further processing opera- 4 tions and for the life of the stocking. It is these continuous sinuous bends which refract the light and which cause the dullness.

Another result is the snag-resistance of stockings and other garments made from yarn of this type. The same tension in knitting is applied. The resulting product is one that has much longer life, is much less,- likelw tribe injured and run, and provides'an appearance that is consistent with the clothes of the female wearer. The light diffusion resulting from this type, of yarn presents a product that has many merchandising advantages and an unusual appearance in the. finished stocking which sug- 1 gests the desired dullness to the consumer when the stocking is displayed on the retail counter or thezlimh-of the wearer. The stocking may have a. regular stitch pattern and all of the yarns of which it is composed, or only a portion of them, may be the normally high gloss continuous filament yarns having the regularly spaced sinuous bends therein. Thus, the stocking may have'a main or boot portion formed 'of the normallyhigh gloss yarns having thev sinuous bends, and another portion, such as the-welt, formed from yarns which are-free from the pre formed bends.

My copending application of even date herewith, Serial No. 254,779; entitled "Method: of

Manufacturing Filaments and -icycopendingy application of even date herewith, Serial No. 254,778, entitled Filament Yarn? cover the method of manufacturing and the; resulting product described herein.

It will be understoodthat it is desired to include within this invention material's other than denier can, be, employed and that this invention is not limited. to monofilamentl or multifil'ament yarn..

Having thus fully described my inventiom what I claim as.- new and desire to. secure by Letters Patenttis':

1,, A new article. of manufacture for use, as a stocking, andv at. least. aportion of which is formed from normally high gloss continuous filament. yarns, of, a thermoplastic fiber-forming material having a large number, of the order of approximately one hundredper inch, ofpermanent', p1teformed regularly spaced sinuous bends of substantially equal depth and characterized by uniformly low to. substantially no gloss, solely as a result of the regular spacing andnumber of bends therein.

2. A new article of manufacture in accordance with claim 1. further characterized in that, the normally high, gloss yarns are formed from a synthetic thermoplasticfiber-forming material,

3. A new article. of manufacture accordance with claim 1, further. characterized in that the normally high gloss yarns are nylon yarns.

4. A new article of manufacture in accordance with claim 1 further characterized in that they normally high glossyarnsare. monofilament' yarns.

5. .A. new article. of manufacture in, accordance with 1 further characterized that the;

normally high gloss yarns are monofilament nylon yarns.

'6. A stocking composed of normally high gloss monofilament nylon yarns having a large number, of the order of approximately one hundred per inch, of permanent, preformed, regularly spaced sinuous bends of substantially equal depth, the yarns and the stocking being characterized by uniformly low to no gloss solely as a result of the regular spacing and number of bends in the yarns.

7. A new article of manufacture for use as a stocking, part of which is formed of normally high gloss continuous filament yarns of a thermoplastic fiber-forming material having a large number, of the order of approximately one hundred per inch, of permanent, preformed, regu-,

larly spaced sinuous bends ofsubstantially equal depth and characterized by uniformly low to substantially no gloss solely as a result of the regular spacing and number of bends therein, and part of which is formed of yarns free from the preformed bends.

8. In a stocking, a main portion, such as the boot, made from normally high gloss continuous filament yarns of a thermoplastic fiber-forming material having a large number, of the order of approximately one hundred per inch, of permanent, preformed, regularly spaced bends of substantially equal depth and characterized by uniformly low to substantially no gloss solely as a result of the regular spacing and number of bends therein, and another portion, such as the welt, made from yarn free from the preformed bends.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a knitted, snag-resistant stocking having a regular stitch 8 pattern and at least a main portion, such as the boot, of which is made from normally high gloss yarns of a thermoplastic fiber-forming material having a large number, of the order of approxi mately one hundred per inch, of permanent, preformed, regularly spaced sinuous bends of substantially equal depth, said portion of the stocking being characterized by uniformly low to substantially no gloss solely as a result of the regular spacing and number of bends in the yarns.

10. As a new article of manufacture, a knitted stocking in accordance with claim 9 characterized in that the normally high gloss yarns are nylon yarns.

11. As a new article of manufacture, a knitted stocking in accordance with claim 9 characterized in that the normally high gloss yarn are monofilament nylon yarns.

RUSSELL K. LAROS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,090,669 Dreyfus et a1 Aug. 24, 1937 2,197,896 Miles Apr. 23, 1940 2,267,199 Hathorne Dec. 23, 1941 2,312,089 Gobeille Feb. 23, 1943 ,364,404 Thomas Dec. 5, 1944 2,394,165 Getaz Feb. 5, 1946 2,506,667 Hall May 9, 1950 2,601,451 Page June 24, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 558,297 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1943 r 

